Los Pensamientos Antes del Viaje - Thoughts Prior to the Trip

"When I look into someones eyes, I don't see their face, I see their soul" - Shiamak Dhaver.
My aspirations: This trip will be a life changing excursion for me to learn more about different cultures, but also to learn about myself and how much I take for granted. This trip will help me silence my ego. This trip will hopefully help me realize my capabilities and how blessed I have been, and how I can make a big difference in people's lives, not just in Guatemala but for the rest of my life. This will be a defining chapter in my life that will probably break the societal expectations that I have of life now, and will help me regain the doctrine of why you are here and what can you do to make it better. Capacity to do, Capacity to be. My faith will also be a crucial part of the trip. Even though Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization, I'm lucky that the people that I'm going with all believe in one entity, which is God. We are all in there together, building for the same cause and realizing that God, no matter which one, has blessed each and every one of us immensely and that we have been put into this world for a reason.

The unknown: I have been feeling lots of different emotions that have been overcoming me before I head to Guatemala. I am feeling anticipation and what will happen when I get there, how much culture shock there will be, and I will go about bringing a change to people's lives. I am feeling excitement; this will be my first trip away from home and I'm wondering how I am going to cope, how my family is going to cope with this blog probably being the only method of communication. I can't help but think about how amazed I will be, how much wonderment will take over and if my spirits will dampen when I see the extreme poverty in front of my spoilt Canadian eyes. I have also learned to always be positive about situations that arise, and that with any emotion I will be feeling, that I should take that energy and work harder, drill one more bit, hammer one more nail to make a change in people's lives. I want to be an 'agent of change and humility' and I also want to rise to the challenge. I have always wanted an opportunity like this one, and I'm ready for whatever happens. Will I be scared when I see cockroaches patrolling my bed or disappointed when I don't get a hot shower? Probably, but I have to keep reminding myself of why I am there, and how disrespectful these thoughts are, because I'm only going there for 2 weeks. Imagine the people who have to live their lives in that environment.
This is one more thing I can scratch off my bucket list.
Carpe Diem - Seize the Day.

Factos de Interesante

So before heading to Guatemala, I've been doing some research about the culture, location ect... Here are some facts that I have found.
-Guatemala is 108,800 Km2
-The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala city which has 3 million inhabitants
-Guatemala's population density is 109.9 people per square Km
-Guatemala has approximately 35 volcanoes.
-Guatemala is divided into 22 Departments and Habitat Guatemala builds homes in all of them.
-Industry and commercial activity are centralized in the capital.
-Guatemala had a 35 year civil war which ended in 1996.

The dates of my trip are: June 28-July 12, 2008

Guatemala is the home of one of Habitat for Humanity's oldest national offices. The country’s breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, language schools and well-known indigenous textiles have made it an increasingly popular travel destination. Nonetheless, many areas in Guatemala are visited infrequently by tourists.
I will spend 10 days working with the Cantel affiliate. Cantel is a small town located in Guatemala's western highlands, approximately 12 kilometers from the provincial capital, Quetzaltenango (also known as Xela – pronounced Shay-la). At roughly 8,000 feet above sea level, Quetzaltenango/Xela is Guatemala’s second-largest city, but has a much more relaxed, small-town atmosphere than the country’s capital.

About Guatemala
Volcanic peaks, scenic coastlines and a forested mountain interior create the brilliance of the Guatemalan landscape. The third-largest nation in Central America, Guatemala has a nearly 80 percent poverty rate, with a housing deficit above 1 million units in spite of a housing program promoting development of rural areas. Because of its geographic location, Guatemala is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, volcano eruptions and floods – all of which exacerbate an already desperate housing situation.

Habitat for Humanity Guatemala was established in 1979 and provides families in need with earthquake-resistant houses constructed of concrete floors, block walls and corrugated zinc roofs. A Habitat house in Guatemala typically replaces a makeshift structure that lacks a septic system, plumbing or electricity.